In this WWF Raw Is War 1/22/01 review, Triple H wants revenge on Steve Austin, The Rock and Chris Jericho team up against Chris Benoit and Big Show, and much more.
Let’s jump in!
- Show: RAW IS WAR
- Date: January 22, 2001
- Location: The Cajundome in Lafayette, LA
RINGSIDE: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler hype the main event, which will feature The Rock and Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit and Big Show.
IN THE RING: Triple H – or more specifically, cutoff sleeve jean jacket era Triple H – and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley make their way out, and JR pushes that Triple H is pissed off after Steve Austin cost him the WWF title at Royal Rumble 2001 (Kurt Angle retained). Triple H is actually happy to be here so he can kick Austin’s ass. He’s got the sledgehammer and he’s waiting for Austin to arrive. Meanwhile, the fans chant “slut” at Stephanie. Angle’s music hits, and your WWF Champion jokes about Triple H whining. Triple H wants a fight with the sledgehammer, and Angle questions his use of weapons to have to beat everyone. Triple H challenges Angle for the title, and Angle accepts. Here comes Trish Stratus. She challenges Stephanie, who accepts and says Trish is gonna be her bitch. Well then.
IN THE PARKING LOT: Vince McMahon arrives in a limo.
BACKSTAGE: Michael Cole catches up with Vince. He isn’t approving the Triple H/Angle and Stephanie/Trish matches just yet.
IN THE RING: William Regal runs down Test ahead of their title match.
Test vs. (c) William Regal – European Title
Test goes right at Regal and throws him around on the outside. Regal regains control with some hard shots, but Test hits a big boot to the face. Lawler is horny about Trish and Stephanie potentially ripping each other’s clothes off. Meanwhile, Test hits an elbow off the top and pins Regal to win the title.
- Blake’s Take: I’m watching this 20+ years later and can’t say I remember any storyline developments with the European title, so I wasn’t expecting a squash. Regal was besmirched!
BACKSTAGE: Triple H storms into Vince’s office. Vince wants fairness, but Triple H mocks him and questions which head he’s thinking with when it comes to Trish.
BACKSTAGE: Regal is totally besmirched as he heads to the locker room.
APA (w/Jacqueline) vs. The Hardy Boyz (w/Lita)
This match came to be after a six-man tag on Smackdown, where Bradshaw nailed Jeff for the win. JR reminds us that Matt and Jeff eliminated each other from the Rumble because it’s every man for himself (they also eliminated Faarooq). Will there be tension? Let’s find out! Sure enough, Jeff tags in as soon as the bell rings, and Matt’s not exactly thrilled about it. Bradshaw catches Jeff off the top with a fallaway slam, then it’s double team action from the APA. Miscommunication from Matt and Jeff leads to Faarooq taking advantage, as Bradshaw gets a near fall on Jeff. The APA work over Matt, but Matt rallies with a DDT and makes the tag to Jeff. Chaos ensues with Bradshaw accidentally shoulder tackling Faarooq, with Jeff hitting a Swanton. But it’s Faarooq who comes back in and hits the Dominator on Jeff for the victory.
- Blake’s Take: The finishing sequence was interesting as they pushed teamwork issues with Matt and Jeff, but it was focused on them forgetting who the legal man was. Nonetheless, they furthered the story, and the APA was aggressive as usual.
BACKSTAGE: Triple H vents to Stephanie. She says Vince is a fair man and that he doesn’t like to be told what to do. They’re frustrated about him potentially canceling their matches.
BACKSTAGE: Stephanie pleads to have her match with Trish. Vince doesn’t want daddy’s little girl to get hurt. She questions whether he’s trying to save Trish.
VIDEO: A look at Show’s return in the Royal Rumble match. Then it’s on to a pre-recorded interview with The Rock. He tells Cole he’s disappointed about not winning the Rumble. He should be celebrating about being in the main event of WrestleMania, but he’s not. Instead, he’s making boy band jokes about Cole’s hair. Rock congratulates Austin for winning, and Cole questions where Rock goes from here. He threatens to punch Cole, then makes it clear his goal is to become WWF Champion again.
- Blake’s Take: This was good stuff from both Rock and Cole to keep Rock in the conversation on the road to WrestleMania. We know what’s to come for him at No Way Out and WrestleMania X-Seven, but this was a nice post-Rumble starting point to further his focus on regaining the title.
Chris Benoit and Big Show vs. The Rock and Chris Jericho
Of course, Benoit and Jericho are coming off of a classic ladder match at the Rumble. It was tremendous. Back and forth from those two in the early going, with Jericho making a hot tag to Rock. Samoan Drop to Benoit, then a belly-to-belly suplex for a two count. Rock decks Show on the apron, but Benoit takes advantage with a back suplex. Jericho goes after Show with a flying shoulder tackle off the apron. Show isn’t having that, as he chokeslams Jericho on the outside. Notable: There’s a “Bring Back Waylon Mercy” sign in the crowd. Awesome.
Benoit works over Rock with Jericho recovering on the outside. Referees check on Jericho and help him to the back, so it’s a handicap match at this point. Show with a huge clothesline to Rock before tagging Benoit back in. The crowd chants for Rocky as he fights back with right hands, but Benoit reverses into three belly-to-back suplexes for a near fall. Benoit hits the flying headbutt (yikes) for another two count, then it’s Show back to work for yet another near fall. Show goes for the chokeslam, but Rock runs wild to finally knock him off his feet. Crowd is loving this match.
Show tags in Benoit, but Rock takes it to both of them. Rock knows Show off the apron before hitting the spine buster on Benoit, but Show breaks up the count at two. Then Rock decides to hit Show with the ring bell. Referee Tim White absolutely saw it, but the man does not give a damn and lets the match continue. Playoff rules! Benoit locks in the Crossface on Rock, but Rock manages to get to the ropes. Rock sends Benoit flying to the outside, and Jericho is back! He throws Benoit into the steel steps before tossing him back in the ring. Rock hits the Rock Bottom and that’ll do it.
- Blake’s Take: What an entertaining tag match. It was fueled by a hot crowd, which was typical during this era. (Recommended)
IN THE RING: Rock poses after the match, but Show chokeslams him. Jericho goes at Show and gets a chokeslam of his own. Benoit shoves Show, so Show gives him a chokeslam too.
BACKSTAGE: Angle vents to Trish about Vince’s decision. Trish says she’ll take care of it by giving Vince some “advisement.” Oh boy.
VIDEO: A replay of the Chyna injury angle at the Rumble, which saw her get stretchered out. That leads us to the ring, with Ivory saying it was a victory for the world. She’s got Chyna’s book, which I also had at one point. Ivory runs down her lewd lifestyle and says she took out Chyna for her own good. Molly and Crash Holly come out and Molly is gonna shut Ivory’s mouth.
Molly Holly vs. (c) Ivory – Women’s Title
Molly takes control early on with a flurry of offense, including a Northern Lights Suplex for a pin attempt. But Steven Richards gets involved to prevent the count, so Crash goes after Richards. However, Richards is able to throw Molly off the top with the referee distracted, and Ivory pins her to retain the title.
- Blake’s Take: The RTC shenanigans continue.
BACKSTAGE: We see Rikishi’s ass and Kane make their way to the ring for their match.
IN THE PARKING LOT: Triple H is waiting on Austin with the sledgehammer.
BACKSTAGE: Trish knocks on Vince’s office and enters.
Rikishi vs. Kane
These two behemoths brawl on the outside as soon as the bell rings, with Rikishi throwing Kane into the steps. Superkick from Rikishi to send Kane down to the mat, then it’s the ass squash in the corner. The ASS SQUASH, folks. Kane with a boot to the face to reverse the momentum, and he goes up top to hit the flying punch. Kane hits the chokeslam, and here comes Haku. The timing was clearly off as referee Teddy Long tried the slowest count ever, but Rikishi had to get his arm up at two and a half as Haku hit the ring to go after Kane and force the DQ.
- Blake’s Take: The match was simply to set up the angle afterward, which aligns Haku with Rikishi and a certain someone with Kane…..
IN THE RING: Here comes The Undertaker to make the save for Kane. He hauls off on Rikishi and Haku and we’ve got a BROUHAHA on our hands. Taker and Kane take out both men, and they hit the double chokeslam on Rikishi.
BACKSTAGE: The Dudley Boyz are on their way to the ring to defend their newly-won Tag Team titles.
BACKSTAGE: Rikishi challenges Taker to a No Holds Barred Match for Smackdown.
BACKSTAGE: We hear Trish saying “that feels nice, that feels very nice” in Vince’s office. What feels nice? WILL WE EVER FIND OUT?
Lo Down (w/Tiger Ali Singh) vs. (c) The Dudley Boyz – Tag Team Titles
I completely forgot about this Lo Down tag team of D’Lo Brown and Chaz. What a gimmick this was. Something tells me they aren’t gonna be the new tag champs, but let’s see how it plays out. Singh joins commentary and calls everyone racists in the United States. The heels get some early offense, but the Dudleyz take control and hit the WASSUP before D’Von gets the table. D’Lo tries to hit Bubba with the belt, by Bubba clocks him with the belt instead as referee Tim White calls for the DQ. Singh thinks they’ve won the titles, and he’s reminded that they haven’t as the Dudleyz hit the 3D on him.
- Blake’s Take: I assume this is leading to another match, but I’m not exactly buying Lo Down as true contenders!
BACKSTAGE: Trish is glistening as she walks out of Vince’s office. He peeks out and gives her hat back as she walks away with frazzled hair. WHAT DID THEY DO IN THERE?
BACKSTAGE: Back from commercial, and Cole says Vince will reveal the main event after the next match.
Al Snow vs. (c) Raven – Hardcore Title
Snow attacks before the match and they quickly fight underneath the stage. An explosion goes off with everyone – referee Jimmy Korderas included – down in pain. Raven uses a fire extinguisher as they fight to the back. Snow uses an ironing board and throws Raven into the catering table. It’s worth noting that Raven is still wearing his belt, which I find funny for some reason. Snow then hits Raven with a GALLON OF MILK. The food table is getting destroyed, so hopefully everyone got their dinner. They fight outside the building, and Snow hits Raven with a lead pipe of some sort to win the title. However, someone wearing all black and a mask hits Snow from behind, then the mystery person throws Raven back on top of Snow as he regains the title thanks to the 24/7 rules. The mystery person and Raven drives off in a car.
- Blake’s Take: The hardcore division was a guilty pleasure during this era. Who cares about match ratings when you’ve got dudes using a gallon of milk and turkey sandwiches as weapons?
BACKSTAGE: Cole questions Vince’s decision on the main event. Vince says it’ll be Triple H and Stephanie against Kurt Angle and Trish.
IN THE PARKING LOT: Triple H is still waiting on Austin as Stephanie runs out and reveals the match to him. He destroys the sledgehammer in anger.
Kurt Angle and Trish Stratus vs. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley
Lawler has officially hit bonk level 10 with his thoughts on Trish. Triple H takes it to Angle on the announce table to start things off. They fight back into the ring and a high knee from Triple H leads to him working over Angle’s leg on the ring post. Triple H continues to go after Angle’s left knee. Trish gets the tag and goes for a cross body on Triple H. He catches her, then Angle dropkicks Trish to send her on top of Triple H. Business picks up as Stephanie enters, and Angle throws her down by her hair. He regrets that decision and tries to console her, but she slaps the taste out of his mouth.
Triple H hits a face buster, but Angle hits a suplex before tagging Trish back in. Triple H with a low blow on Angle as Trish goes up top. Stephanie and Trish start slapping the hell out of each other and Lawler wants some spanking. BONK. Stephanie hits a clothesline on Trish as Triple H and Angle brawl in the aisle. Trish with the bulldog on Stephanie, but Triple H comes back in and hits the Pedigree on Trish. He knocks Angle off the apron, and Stephanie pins Trish for the win.
- Blake’s Take: Once again, the crowd ate this up and were certainly siding with Angle and Trish over Triple H and Stephanie. I mean, can you really root for a man who hits a Pedigree on a woman? Then again, it was the Attitude Era, so that’s a babyface move for some.
IN THE RING: After the match, Austin attacks Triple H from behind and hits the Stunner. STONE COLD! STONE COLD!
- Blake’s Take: JR’s calls for anything involving a triumphant Austin are always the best, and that was no different here. JR also did a great job pushing that Austin and Triple H were on a collision course on the road to WrestleMania, which served as the direction for their eventual match at No Way Out.
BLAKE’S TAKE ON WWF RAW IS WAR 1/22/01
Recommended Matches: Chris Benoit and Big Show vs. The Rock and Chris Jericho
Rating: 6.5/10
Thoughts: I enjoyed the storyline advancement on this one, as it was all about the fallout from the Rumble. But if you are looking for engaging wrestling matches, there’s really only one with the Rock/Jericho vs. Benoit/Show tag. There’s also the fact that Austin is only in one segment on this episode, despite winning one of the best Rumbles in company history. However, two of the three big matches for No Way Out are already in motion, with Triple H vs. Steve Austin and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley vs. Trish Stratus on tap.
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